How to Profitably Use SMS Marketing to Get New Customers

SMS (Short Message Service) marketing is a relatively new method of connecting with customers. Also known as text message marketing, this type of service has a high open and return rate. With about 90% of SMS marketing texts being opened and anywhere from 10% to 30% generating a positive response, it is a highly effective tool for encouraging sales amongst new customers.

SMS is Fast and Effective

With text messaging it’s all in the words and you have very few words with which to work. A total of 160 characters are allowed in a text and that includes all spaces and punctuation. Thus, marketing messages have to be to the point, catchy and clever.

Soliciting List Members

One of the wonderful things about SMS marketing is that you can often convert new customers or clients using this service. The first thing you have to do is capture their information. Cell phones are privately listed and the only way to garner these numbers is through direct marketing. Plus, it’s best if people opt in to receive your messages as everything is permission based. Try to use as many different information streams as possible to do this.

These include:

· Getting people to opt-in to your text list through your website.
· Having signup forms at your office.
· Publishing articles in free article directories about your topic and having anchor links that connect to an online form.
· Offering a newsletter signup at your office and online and then soliciting subscribers to SMS through that newsletter.
· Asking those on your mailing list to recommend friends to your SMS service.
· Using QR codes on your literature, such as brochures, menus and mailings that will connect people to your SMS sign up list.

When asking people to sign up or recommend a friend, it’s a good idea to offer them a premium. It may be a discount on a service or item, a free consultation or a free report / item. This will help encourage people to act.

Various Campaigns

Be sure to design a questionnaire that you can use to tailor your text messages to specific groups. People can fill out the questionnaire when they sign up for the service or you can leave them the option of filling it out later. The primary thing you want to do is capture their essential information.

Then you can direct specific SMS campaigns to people who are new to your business. You may include special first time discounts, a two-for-one offer or a premium for purchasing a product or service.